Discrimination in the

Classroom
By Broderick Lemke, Megan ONeil, and Megan Schirger
Why does it matter? - Coming Out
- Youth coming out at younger ages
- Good and Bad thing
- Good - Self-confidence
- Bad - Not emotionally Ready
- Process/Stages
- Realization
- Activation
- Consolidation
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFewRm_YC4
- Why we need to know
LGBT Risks
- Information and Statistics
- Title IX of the Educational Amendment Acts of 1972
- 85% of LGBT youth reported hearing homophobic
remarks in schools
- 80% reported verbal harassment
- 40% said this was frequent
- 70% reported feeling unsafe
- LGBT youth more likely to be in danger in school
- LGBT youth more likely to have considered/made a
suicide attempt
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnOJgDW0gPI
If you know nothing else:
- What is LGBTQ+?
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer
- Laws throughout the US
- http://glsen.org/article/state-maps
- Resources
- http://www.glsen.org/
- Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-CNO2owcK8
- http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Curriculum Needs
- GLSEN Survey (7,000 LGBT students)
- 17.9% had any curricula containing LGBT-Topics
- 3.8% had Sexual Education curricula with sexual or gender orientation
- Why does it matter?
- Identity & Heteronormativity
- Opposition to inclusion of LGBTQ+ Topics
- Dont Say Gay and No Promo Homo bills
- First Amendment Rights
- How to be safe as a teacher
LGBTQ+ Sexual Education
- Origins of Sexual Education
- 20th century
- Heterocentric perspective
- Anti-STI Anti-Pregnancy
- When LGBTQ+ issues are addressed it is seen as inappropriate or
teachers make an unsafe environment
- Fallacies about HIV, AIDS, or other STIs
- Teachers responsibility to learn
- Fewer Gay men partake in risky sexual encounters
- Straight students can learn to support friends/family
- GLSEN Efforts to provide sexual education to LGBT youth.
Gay Straight Alliances
- What are they?
- Teacher Lead OR Student Lead with Advisers
- Education- Psychological Issues rather than Academics
- Awareness Activities
- Benefits
- Lowered risks related to truancy, smoking, drinking, suicide
attempts (not ideation), and sexual behavior with casual
partners.
- No lowered risks related to homophobic victimization, school
belonging or grades.
List of References
Calzo, J. P., & Ward, L. M. (2009). Contributions of Parents, Peers, and Media to Attitudes Toward Homosexuality: Investigating
Sex and Ethnic Differences. Journal Of Homosexuality, 56(8), 1101-1116. doi:10.1080/00918360903279338
Cooper, L. (2008). On the other side: supporting sexual minority students. British Journal Of Guidance & Counselling, 36(4),
425-440. doi:10.1080/03069880802364577
Elia, J. P., & Eliason, M. (2010). Discourses of Exclusion: Sexuality Education's Silencing of Sexual Others. Journal Of LGBT
Youth, 7(1), 29-48. doi:10.1080/19361650903507791
Gowen, L. K., & Winges-Yanez, N. (2014). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning Youths' Perspectives of
Inclusive School-Based Sexuality Education. Journal Of Sex Research, 51(7), 788-800. doi:10.1080/00224499.2013.806648
Hamzelou, J. (2014). Out in the open?. New Scientist, 224(2994), 50-51.
Holmes, S. E., & Cahill, S. (2004). School Experiences of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth. Journal Of Gay &
Lesbian Issues In Education, 1(3), 53-66.
Meyer, I. H., & Bayer, R. (2013). School-Based Gay-Affirmative Interventions: First Amendment and Ethical Concerns. American
Journal Of Public Health, 103(10), 1764-1771. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301385
Patterson, C. J. (2013). Schooling, Sexual Orientation, Law, and Policy: Making Schools Safe for All Students. Theory Into
Practice, 52(3), 190-195. doi:10.1080/00405841.2013.804312
Poteat, V. P., Sinclair, K. O., DiGiovanni, C. D., Koenig, B. W., & Russell, S. T. (2013). Gay-Straight Alliances Are Associated
With Student Health: A Multischool Comparison of LGBTQ and Heterosexual Youth. Journal Of Research On Adolescence
(Wiley-Blackwell), 23(2), 319-330. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00832.x